BUSINESS MOTORING
network to enable real-time communications; and building drones reliable enough to fl y in all weather.”
OVER THE HORIZON
Be prepared for change on a seismic scale after 2030. Everything about business travel will be completely different from how it is today, according to Pinkse. “As cars and vans become smart devices that move around as part of an IoT-based
this technology a much better option for long-distance travel.”
McCarthy agrees that hydrogen- fuelled vehicles are likely to become more popular in the longer run. He also believes that “the growth in smart technology and driverless cars should, if they work well, make transport safer, cheaper and more convenient. This would in turn lead to quicker journeys, easier parking and cleaner air.”
‘Smart technology and driverless cars should… make transport safer, cheaper and more convenient’
platform, the effi ciencies provided in using EVs might increase tremendously in terms of cutting costs and emissions,” he says. “Another big development will be the use of hydrogen power in fl eets. Affordability concerns and the lack of a hydrogen infrastructure have always posed a chicken-and-egg problem for hydrogen- fuelled vehicles, but fl eet operators could invest in their own infrastructure, making
McCarthy foresees another long-term development that he thinks will reduce overall company vehicle usage and, in turn, cut road congestion: a vast improvement in digital connectivity and a consequent advance in videoconferencing technology. French company Valeo demonstrated the potential of this tech at this year’s international Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas with its Voyage XR concept. The system can “teletransport” people into a car from anywhere in the world. With the aid of cameras, sensors and state-of-the-art 3D imaging software, a virtual passenger
using a headset can “sit” in the back seat of the vehicle and view its surroundings. The driver will see an avatar of their passenger in the rear-view mirror and be able to converse with them. “High-quality videoconferencing, which may eventually include the use of holographic telepresence, will displace the need for travel. It will do this without diminishing users’ ability to build relationships and do business effectively,” McCarthy says. “Driverless cars and improved teleconferencing systems should help to boost productivity, because they will enable employees to work effectively while on the road or avoid having to make journeys altogether.”
Phatak believes that Amara’s law – which states that we tend to overestimate the impact of new technology in the short term but underestimate this in the longer term – is likely to hold true in this sector. “We’re living through the most turbulent and exciting time for the automotive industry,” he says. “In the long run, the technology will fundamentally alter the landscape we know today.”
Case study: Hyundai Elevate Making its public debut at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas at the start of this year, Hyundai’s new “walking car” concept is part of a project by the South Korean manufacturer to explore “beyond the range of wheels”.
The Hyundai Elevate can activate four robotic legs, enabling it to walk over rough terrain at 3mph and, potentially, scale a 5ft barrier or jump a 5ft gully. Such mobility gives it emergency-response applications in the event of disasters – earthquakes, for instance – where conventional vehicles cannot get close to the stricken area. In normal “stowed drive mode”, the Elevate’s legs fold up and the use of an integrated passive suspension system maximises the EV’s battery efficiency. This enables the car to be driven at normal highway speeds. “By combining the power of robotics with Hyundai’s latest EV technology, Elevate is able to take people where no car has been before, redefining our perception of vehicular freedom,” says David Byron, design manager at US design consultancy Sundberg-Ferar, which is working on the project. “Imagine a car, stranded in a snow-filled ditch only 10ft off the highway, that’s able to climb over the treacherous terrain back on to the road, potentially saving its injured passengers. This is the future of mobility.”
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